Oscar vezin



(No Model.)

0. VEZIN. REFRIGERATOR GAR.

No. 482,703. Patented Sept. 13, 1892.

CZZZesfi 1 132173 2201; m x 04cm, 7/1 35 a, 0M 5.1%;

UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE.

OSCAR VEZIN, OF NEWV YORK, N. Y.

REFRIGERATOR-CAR.

$PEGIFICATION forming part of Letters Patent No. 482,703, datedSeptember 13, 1892. Application filed September 21, 1891. Serial No.406,308. (No model.)

To aZZ whom it may concern.-

Be it known that I, OSCAR VEZIN, a citizen of the United States,residing in the city, county, and State of New York, have inventedcertain new and useful Improvements in Refrigerator-Oars, of which thefollowing is a full, clear, and exact description, reference being hadto the accompanying drawings, forming part of this specification.

My invention relates to refrigerator-ears; and it consists in thecombinationsof devices hereinafter described, and as more particularlyand at length recited in the claims.

Figure 1 is a longitudinal vertical section of a car containing myinvention, taken on the line 2 z, Fig. 2; and Fig. 2 is a lateralvertical section of the same on the line a: m, Fig. 1.

In constructing a refrigerator-car I constitute a refrigerant-chamber atan end of the car by means of a partition A, which at its side edges ais fitted tightly into the side walls of the car, and which thus extendslaterally of the car, dividing the end chamber B from the mainstorage-space B of the car. I usually, as is customary in cars of thisdescription, constitute a refrigerant-chamber B at each end of the car.

In Fig. 1 only one end of the car is shown; but it will be understoodthat a chamber, such as illustrated, may be arranged at each end of thecar-space. The partition A is imperforate throughout its extent, and itterminates at its top edge somewhat below theline of the car-roof, so asto constitute between said top edge of the partition and the inner faceof the ear-roof a continuous and unimpeded open throat or apertureextending laterally of the car, as shown at a, and said partition, inlike manner, terminates at its bottom edge somewhat above the car-floor,so as to constitute between said bottom edge of the partition and thecar-floor a similar continuous and unimpeded open throat a, extendinglaterally of the car. It is desirable, I find,

that the throat a should be somewhat larger than the throat a, and Ihave found that in cars of ordinary dimensions, as now in use, when thedistance between the top of the partition A and the car-roof is abouttwelve inches and the distance between the bottom edge of the saidpartition and the car-floor is about eighteen inches good andsatisfactory rack D, which is open at the top, as shown,

and the side walls and bottom of which are perforated throughout theirextent. This crib may be advantageously constructed of slats d,constituting the walls and bottom and secured to and supported above thecar-floor 6 by uprights d, as shown, the slats being arranged withspaces or interstices between the adjoining ones successively, asillustrated. A gate or lid 61 in the car-roof directly above the crib Dwill enable the crib to be filled 7o frointhe exterior of the car withice broken up into cakes or lumps. The meltage from the ice in the cribwill escape therefrom through the perforated bottom thereof, and,

falling to the chamber-floor, maybe drained off through trappedescape-pipes d as shown.

A particular advantage accruing from the described construction of theimperforate partition A and its continuous open throats a and a, incombination with the ice-crib D,

having the perforated walls, as set forth, is that the entire body ofair in the storagespace 13 of the car will rise uniformly as itstemperature increases and will pass freely through the throat or intothe refrigerantchamber B, and will therein, by a free circulationthrough the ice-crib D and its contained ice-blocks, descend uniformlyto the bottom of the chamber and be forced by the constantly-descendingair-current through the throat a again into the space B. The constantand continuous circulation of the entire body of air in the car throughthe refrigerant-chamber B will thus be effected and maintained and theformation of eddies or 5 individual air-currents of different directionsin the car, as is liable to occur when the partition A is'perforated atvarious points or the refrigerant tank or holder 1D has continuous andimperforate walls, creat- I00 ing variations of temperature on itsexterior face.

A further advantage accrues when the throat or is larger than the throata, in that the cooled air will pass through the throat to from therefrigerant-chamber into the storage-space of the car at a less velocitythan when the said throat a is of the same or less size or extent thanthe throat a, and consequently the objectionable feature of a rapidcurrent or semi-blast of cold air passing into the storage-space of thecar, entailing the liability of damage to certain classes of perishablemerchandisesuch, for example, as fresh fruits-will be avoided.

An upwardly-extended lip or guard 6 extends across the car-floor on aline below the partition A, thus dividing the floor of the chamber Bfrom that of the chamber or space B. This lip e maybe constituted byturning upwardly the edge of a sheet-metal floor-piece 'e', arranged onthe car-floor in the chamber B, and this metal floor-piece may be madesomewhat dishing toward the center so as to carry the drip of theice-crib toward and into the escape-pipes d The lip 9 preferably has itsupper edge bent or deflected toward the chamber B. The lip will thusserve as a deflector to cause any spattering of the meltage from theice-crib to be thrown backward onto the floor of the chamber B andprevent its passage into the chamber B through the throat to, therebyobviating the liability of perishable goods stored in the car beingdamaged by moisture from said meltage.

Upon the lower edge of the partition A is fixed the offset 0, extendedor projected horizontally therefrom on the side toward the chamber B, asshown.

The valve G extends laterally of the car and is adapted in extent to fitinto and close the throat a. Itis locatedim mediately under the offset aand is carried on a longitudinal axis 0, one end of which is steppedinto the car-wall, as at c, and the opposite end of which extendsthrough the opposite car-wall, as a 0 and preferably through astuffing-box 0 set in said wall, the external end of the said axis beingexposed outside the car-Wall, as shown, by means of which the valve maybe manipulated from the exterior of the car. The valve 0 is desirablyfixed eccentrically on its said axis, as shown, and with its narrowerportion above the axis. The offset a? and the narrower or upper portionof the valve 0 are so proportioned relatively to each other, and theaxis of the valve is given bearing, relatively to the offset, so thatwhen the valve is opened its upper edge, which is projected toward themain car-space B, will be under the offset and within the line of thepartition on the side thereof toward the chamber B. By this constructionthe valve will be guarded from contact with and possible injury by boxesor other merchandise stored close to the partition in the chamber B.When the valve is closed,its upper edge may take against a flange orstop 0 on the offset, as shown, while its lower edge may rest againstthe lip or guard'c.

An advantage accrues from the arrangement of the valve eccentrically onits axis, in that when the valve is open its lower or wider portion willproject into the chamber B toward and below the ice-crib D, and willserve as a deflector to throw the drip or meltage falling from the cribbackward onto the floor of the chamber B, and thus prevent the said dripfrom passing through the throat a into the chamber B.

The principal function of the valve 0 is obvious, to wit: the regulatingor complete stoppage of the air circulation between the chambers B andB.

What I claim as my invention, and desire to secure by Letters Patent,is-

1. In a refrigerator-car in which a refrigerant-chamber at one end ofthe interior of the car is separated from the central storagespace ofthe car by an imperforate partition extending laterally of the car andterminating at its top and bottom edges somewhat below and above,respectively, the car-roof and car-floor, and thereby constitutingcontinuously-open throats above and below said partition, thecombination, with said partition, of an offset o projecting horizontallyfrom its lower edge on the side toward the refrigerant-chamber, and avalve 0, extending laterally of the car and adapted to close said throatbelow said partition and eccentrically pivoted on a longitudinal axisunder said offset, whereby when said valve is turned to an open positionon its said axis its narrower portion will lie beneath said offset andits wider portion will project into said refrigerant-chamber,substantially as and for the purpose set forth.

2. In a refrigerator-car in which a refrigerant-chamber at one end ofthe interior of the car is separated from the central storagespace ofthe car by an imperforate partition extending laterally of the car andterminating at its top and bottom edges somewhat below and above,respectively, the car-roof and car-floor, and thereby constitutingcontinuously-open throats above and below said partition, thecombination, with said partition, of an offset (4 projectinghorizontally from its lower edge on the side toward therefrigerant-chamber and provided with a depending stop 0 and a valve O,extendinglaterally of the car and adapted to close said throat belowsaid partition and eccentrically pivoted on a longitudinal axis undersaid offset, together with the upwardly-projecting lip e, extendinglaterally on the car-floor below said partition, whereby when the valveis closed its receptive longitudinal edges will abut against the saidstop and lip, substantially as and for the purpose set forth.

OSCAR VEZIN. Witnesses:

A. S. FITCH, A. T. FALES.

IIC

